| Comparisons Of Judy Blume`S Three Novels, Summer Sisters, Are You There God Its Me Margaret And Forever Essay, Research Paper
Judy Blume`s characters has a way of lingering with the reader long after the novel is over. Blume is a writer for the 21st century she combines real people with real problems, she is both truthful, and humorous in her writings. This combination makes for a vivid description of real life. In Blume`s books Are you there God? It s me Margaret, Forever, and Summer Sisters Blume writes about women facing such problems as falling in love for the first time, choosing a religion, and the struggle to find your place in the world. As well as many enduring sub-plots. Children, teenagers, and adults may feel ashamed or shy about expressing their true feelings, Blume teaches us that it is okay to feel what one feels, and yes it is normal because her characters go through the same things. By taking the reader on a journey through the times and tribulations of the characters in her novels she shows the reader that it is okay to be different. There is so much truth and realism in Blume`s writing that often the reader becomes a part of the character. With sensitivity and humor, Judy Blume has captured the joys, fears and uncertainty that one is surrounded by when growing up.
In the novel Are you there God? It s me Margaret, the reader meets Margaret who jut moved to a new hose and school as well turning twelve. She often talks to God to ask for favors and guidance. Margaret is going through a lot in her life, she is waiting for her period, for her breast to grow, and to be kissed. Margaret imbodies most young girls who are going through the same changes in life. Blume doesn t give the reader a superficial characters she adds depth to them by giving them a problem that anyone no matter age or sex can relate to. In Margaret s case it is spiritual choice, she is has no religion her mom was catholic and dad was Jewish, but when they married they decided not to follow any religion. Like most young adults Margaret wanted to fit in so she wanted to join a religion because all her friends had a religion, Margaret s goal through out the novel was to figure out what religion she wanted to be. When she was pressured from her grandparents to choose a religion she became angry at everyone especially God, At the end of the book Margaret doesn t choose a religion, but she does continue to speak to God, she also leaves the reader with a important message about acceptance.
Katherine and Michael s love story is a typical account of first love. Their story is portrayed in the novel Forever. Katherine and Michael meet at a New Years Eve party and become completely involved with each other. They are both eighteen and completely in love. Blume takes the reader through their thoughts and emotions as they discover each other spiritually and physically. When Katherine is faced with the decision whether or not to have sex, she feels like all other teenage girls going through the same problem, When Katherine and Michael first have sex Blume takes us through their emotions right up to, during, and after they make love. Though Katherine and Michael s love story is the main plot of the novel, they re other serious sub-plots as well. Erica who is Katherine s best friend has a cousin Sybil who is the same age as them had a baby and had to give it up for adoption. Also Michael s best friend Artie who was dating Erica tried to commit suicide by hanging himself from the shower curtain. He was unsuccessful and was taken to a private psychiatric hospital. The reader also sees how they deal with their guilt.
In Summer Sisters Blume portrays the love between longtime female friends. In the friendship between Caitlin and Vix we find a ever changing but undying love between two very different people. Vix is a poor girl in a family of four children with a brother Nathan who has muscular dystrophy. Caitlin has a bother Sharkey who lives with her rich dad Lamb in Martha s Vineyard, her mother Phoebe is a aristocrat, Caitlin lives with her mother and visits her father in the summer. In the summer of 1977 when Caitlin asked Vix to join her for the summer their lives are forever changed. Lamb marries Abby who has a son Daniel, his friend Gus comes and stays with them in the summer as well. Vix sees Caitlin as the most influential person in her life In that brief explanation of how Vix and Caitlin s relationship works, the reader can recognize their own friends in Caitlin and Vix. Summer Sisters follows the life of sixteen people, Caitlin, Vix, Lamb, Abby, Daniel, Sharkey, Gus, Phoebe, Tawny ( Vix`s mom), Ed (Vix`s dad), Trisha (Lamb`s ex-girlfriend), Regina (Caitlin s great-grandmother), Dorest (Caitlin s aunt), Bru (Vix`s boyfriend), Paisley and Maia (Vix`s College friends). From the summers of 1977 to 1987, Caitlin and Vix spend their summers together. As is Blume`s style Caitlin and Vix is not the only story, Nathan dies Vix`s parents split up, and Regina hates Abby.
Blume writing style is to address problems and concerns with a natural answers that are full of both humor and sympathy. Blume`s characters tend to hover long after the book is set down. Blume takes the reader through the lives of each of her character, the reader becomes the character and begin to care about them as if they were real. Blume remains popular to this day is because her characters are timeless, no matter how much technology a person has one will always go through the stages of life, and as long as people are growing up there will always be a need for truthful novels. Blume`s novels comes from someplace deep inside her, one can tell that she doesn t write because she wants to but because she has to. Judy Blume`s novels are fun to read, but there is always a deeper meaning to her stories, she touches readers young and old with her ageless stories. When parents don t know how to explain to their children what to expect when your growing, they give their children Judy Blume books because they know their children will be in good hands.
|